ID: 2011
Presenting Author: Alberto Diantini
Session: 590 - Territorial Security in Communities Impacted by Industrial Activities
Status: pending
From an analysis of Indigenous FPIC protocols worldwide, we distill five pillars to centre Peoples as decision-makers and turn consultation into a rights-based, community-led process
Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) remains widely violated or hollowed out by box-ticking proponent-led consultations, eroding community trust and legitimacy. Improving FPIC requires re-centering Indigenous Peoples as decision-makers, starting with how communities want to be consulted and how collective consent is determined. We analyzed 45 Indigenous and other land-connected Peoples’ FPIC protocols from all over the world. This global sample, ranging from local community protocols to cross-regional declarations, allowed us to distil recurrent principles and standards for a just and effective FPIC process. Findings converge on five pillars: (1) a rights-based approach considers FPIC as a legally binding decision; (2) relational ethics grounded in respect, reciprocity, cultural safety and trust-building; (3) co-design of IA/FPIC, aligning methods, timelines, languages and decision formats with local values; (4) appropriate scoping of impact areas through community-led mapping in a holistic manner; and (5) ongoing monitoring and accountability by community-led monitors, grievance mechanisms, public reporting, and enforceable sanctions linking approvals to compliance verification. We conclude with practical implications: communities shall be supported in crafting their own protocols to guide proponents and authorities in how to conduct a respectful FPIC process. When absent, protocols should be established before any consultation begins, as this tailors advances FPIC from an administrative requirement to an empowering, self-determined process.
Alberto Diantini is a post-doc researcher at the University of Ferrara. His research interests are Social Impact Assessment, Environmental Conflicts and Climate Justice.
Coauthor 1: Philippe Hanna